About Basile Gras
Lived 1836 – 1901 (aged 65). Basile Gras was a French engineer and military personnel.
General Basile Gras (2 January 1836 – 14 April 1901) created the Gras rifle for the French Army in 1874 by converting the Mle 1866 Chassepot rifle to fire metallic cartridges. Gras, who was a colonel at the time, played a very important role in the formulation and industrial production of the Lebel rifle. He was an alumnus of Ecole Polytechnique, then a shooting instructor at l'École Normale de Tir at Châlons. Eventually he supervised the three weapon manufacturing facilities at St Etienne, Châtellerault and Tulle. Finally he became Secretary of War for France.
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Basile Gras?
French military person and politician (1836-1901)
When was Basile Gras born?
Basile Gras was born on 2 January 1836 in Saint-Amans-de-Pellagal.
When did Basile Gras die?
Basile Gras died on 14 April 1901 in Chablis.
What was Basile Gras's occupation?
Basile Gras was an engineer and military personnel.
What nationality was Basile Gras?
Basile Gras was French.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Basile Gras. https://biography.guide/basile-gras/
MLA: "Basile Gras." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/basile-gras/.
Chicago: "Basile Gras." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/basile-gras/.
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